"What are you waiting for? Don’t leave the poor guy hanging," my father teased, raising his fist in the air. "Say yes," he said, joining the chants. The moment those words left his lips, it felt like the world paused. Everything I had ever wanted, everything I had ever hoped for, was falling into place. My father’s approval was the last piece of the puzzle. With a heart full of joy, I turned to Ethan, my voice shaky with excitement. "Yes!" I said, extending my hand to him. Ethan's smile widened as he slid the ring onto my finger. He lifted me into the air, swirling me around, and I giggled, my heart fluttering with excitement. It was a moment of pure bliss, as though nothing else existed in the world but us. When he finally set me down, I noticed Jennifer walking toward me, a soft smile on her face as she held a beautiful white dress in her hands. "You always said you wanted to get married in your mother's dress," she said, holding out my mother’s wedding gown, now perfectly alte
"You're aware he has a massive crush on you, right?" Jennifer pointed out, a mischievous grin on her face, as we entered her apartment building."Who?" I asked, feigning innocence and acting oblivious to whom she was referring to."William, obviously. That guy practically drools over you," she teased."As if!" I scoffed, brushing off the notion."Do you think we got the day off just because?""Yeah, because the CEO's daughter happens to be my best friend."Jennifer and I worked together at Castle Tech, she was the daughter of the famous tech guru "Maxwell Coltmen" and the owner of the company.You would think having such a rich father would make her an executive but her father had a theory about starting from the bottom, hence making her a junior marketing staff just like the rest of us. "You know I don't get any privileges for that," she remarked as we got into the elevator, she was right, no one gave her any special treatment, and she was treated just like the rest of us. "Well,
I felt tongue-tied watching my friend's sister bounce on my boyfriend's joystick, tears streaming down my eyes, as they mocked me. What did I do to deserve this, a part of me wanted to march in there and pull her off him, but the other part of me just wanted to walk away.Following the other part of me, I turned around, not saying or word or interrupting them, I walked out of the house, my sight foggy from tears as I made my way to Jennifer's house. I banged hard against her door, eager for her to open up, "what!" She yelled opening her door to find me crying in front of it. "Emily" her voice softened as soon as she set eyes on me. "what is going on" she asked placing her hands on my shoulder, she walked me into her apartment. "Did you know" I managed to ask as soon as we got into her private space."is that why you don't like him" I said to her, unable to raise my voice beyond a whisper."What is it Em" she wondered, as my cry slowly got louder, I felt betrayed, and hurt, my hea
Note: Written in 3rd person for a wider perspective. Emily laughed hysterically, thinking Jennifer was joking "You are joking right" she said laughing harder, she assumed there was no way Jennifer could mean what she had just said. Jennifer shook her head with a straight face, she wasn't joking, "I am not Emily" she replied with a serious voice, staring at Jake's father. "You are!!" Emily exclaimed picking up the grape from her drink, pulling it out of the pick with her teeth."I would rather get with a random stranger" she said buying the idea of hooking up with a random stranger now that the option was that or Jake's father."But isn't he so dreamy" Jennifer gawked unable to take her eyes off him, she had always had a crush on him, but knew it was impossible since he was her father's best friend. "He is" Emily replied not sparing him a second glance. "well if you don't, Rose would" Jenifer chuckles."Rose" Emily jumped at the name, she wondered why she felt more hatred for Rose
Emily's point of view I woke up to find myself naked in a strange bed, with merely flashes of my night with Ethan. "Did I sleep with Jake's father?" I wondered, sitting up. "I need to get out of here" I thought looking around the room for my clothes, my heart beating and my body trembling, I was so drunk last night I didn't think it through.I picked up my undies putting them on and looked around for my dress. My dress was nowhere to be found and the only thing I could find was a robe. "O! Emily" I sighed, putting on the robe before navigating my way out of the room. "Good morning," Ethan said, sitting at the dining counter, I was so drunk I didn't even notice that we walked into a big apartment. "Good...morning" I stuttered feeling nervous, I watched him get to his feet moving towards me, and placing a gentle kiss on my cheek. "I made breakfast," he said, pointing to a plate he must have set up for me. "Where are my clothes, I really need to go" I held tightly to the robe as
"O!! Shit, what am I going to do" I said to Jennifer who just laughed at me. "I really don't know Em, why not just come clean" she gave the most ridiculous suggestion. "Are you insane, do you know how crazy it sounds?"o!! Mr. Marcel sorry about the other day I was just upset with your son" I imagined. "Listen, I need to get out of here, before...""Good morning" a too-familiar voice interrupted, Ethan walked into the office hallway with a grey suit and a wide grin. His suit, highlighting his perfectly toned muscle and beautiful brown hair, one thing was for sure, Ethan was hotter than Jake. "I am Ethan Marcel, the new boss," Ethan said warmly, his eyes surveying the room, as I tried to cover my face with my hands. Luckily for me, the place was packed, everyone on the floor converged to meet the new boss. "I need to get out of here" I whispered to Jennifer. A smirk appeared at the side of her face, and she intentionally ignored me. "please Jen" I pleaded, pulling her to the bac
3rd person narrativeEthan looked at Emily and felt a rush of familiarity. Her eyes looked exactly like the masked girl he had met a few days before."Have we met?" he asked, noticing that her eyes widened as she looked at him."You must have met her at work," Jake responded.Ethan nodded in agreement, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. "Iris is single, she just broke up with a cheating boyfriend," he thought to himself, dismissing the idea that Emily could be."Please sit," he said, motioning for Emily to take a seat. She was nervous, afraid that he might recognize her if she spoke."You work at Castle Tech?" Ethan asked, trying to make conversation as he sat down on the chair."Yes, sir," Emily replied, her voice trembling with nervously."What department are you in?" Ethan asked, trying to recall the faces he had seen at the meeting that day. He was sure he hadn't seen hers."S-sales," Emily stammered, just as his phone began to ring."Would you excuse me?" Et
Emily's point of view."Do you accept?" Mr Marcel asked, fixing his gaze and leaning forward. I shook my head nervously, if I had my way, I would love to be as far away from this family as possible, they were both dangerous men who liked to use people. "would you excuse me, sir, I would like to use the bathroom," I said nervously, he nodded and I got off my seat, walking straight to the bathroom. As soon as I got behind the close confinement of the bathroom, I began to dial Jennifer's number, "please pick up" I prayed as the call kept going to voicemail."Hey you have reached Jennifer, I am probably out there having the time of my life, please leave a message" her answering machine kept saying."Hey Jen, it's Em, I need to talk to you it's urgent," I said. I looked at the mirror and my eyes were visibly swollen, I never thought being with Jake could ever be this exhausting if only I listened to Jennifer. 'o! Emily, you are way in over your head with this one' I sighed to myself. I
"What are you waiting for? Don’t leave the poor guy hanging," my father teased, raising his fist in the air. "Say yes," he said, joining the chants. The moment those words left his lips, it felt like the world paused. Everything I had ever wanted, everything I had ever hoped for, was falling into place. My father’s approval was the last piece of the puzzle. With a heart full of joy, I turned to Ethan, my voice shaky with excitement. "Yes!" I said, extending my hand to him. Ethan's smile widened as he slid the ring onto my finger. He lifted me into the air, swirling me around, and I giggled, my heart fluttering with excitement. It was a moment of pure bliss, as though nothing else existed in the world but us. When he finally set me down, I noticed Jennifer walking toward me, a soft smile on her face as she held a beautiful white dress in her hands. "You always said you wanted to get married in your mother's dress," she said, holding out my mother’s wedding gown, now perfectly alte
"What's going on, Dad?" I asked, my voice rising above its normal pitch, my heart starting to race. "Just come home, Emily. Now!" he yelled, ending the call abruptly. I stared at the phone, my mind blank. What could possibly be the problem? I couldn't think of anything, except maybe, like my mother, my father was sick too. I took a deep breath, dialing Ethan's number to inform him that I was getting on the next flight to Ashville."My dad just called me. He sounded really panicked. I think something is going on, and I have to go home now," I said as soon as Ethan picked up the call."Is everything okay? Did he say what was wrong?" Ethan asked. I shook my head as if he could see me."No, he just said I should come home. I'm going to the airport now to get the first ticket home," I felt the need to keep him informed."Just hold on. I'll call the pilot to take you," Ethan said, reminding me that he had a private jet. "I'll call the driver to take you to the hangar right now," he added,
"Long story short, his parents aren’t dead," Ethan said as he pulled into one of his mansions."What?" I exclaimed. "Don't shorten the story! Please, tell me the full details," I demanded, watching him park in the underground garage.Ethan sighed and turned to face me. "Wayne’s parents are not dead," he repeated.I narrowed my eyes, waiting for more. "They're at the island," Ethan continued.My eyes widened. "When I took you to the island, I used the opportunity to see them. They've been hiding from Christof because he wanted them dead. They stole from both me and Christof," Ethan explained.I nodded, starting to piece things together. "And the video?" I asked.Ethan smiled. "Faked. It was a video I made to convince Christof they were dead. He was starting to doubt my kills," he said with a shrug."And you didn't tell me? You let me judge you all this time?" I said, feeling a pang of guilt."Your judgment wasn’t far from the truth. I have killed people, Emily," Ethan said, locking eye
"So, tell me," I said, staring at him, my eyes glistening with curiosity.Ethan smiled. "A very important person owed me a favor. When Rose called, I decided to cash it in," he said.I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Who is this very important person who could easily turn a death sentence into nothing?" I wondered aloud.Ethan chuckled. "That’s my little secret," he teased, and I smiled."But," he added, "it wasn’t exactly changed from a death sentence to nothing. Someone else took the blame."My eyes widened, and I shot him a sharp glance. "An innocent man took the blame for you? That’s not fair!" I scolded."I wouldn’t call him innocent," Ethan replied casually, his tone so nonchalant it made me roll my eyes."I thought you said you’ve changed," I huffed, folding my arms across my chest."I have changed," Ethan insisted, but I just rolled my eyes again."Then tell me exactly what happened," I demanded, noticing he was only giving me snippets of the story. My eyes stayed fixed on him,
"Please, let's be a family," Ethan pleaded, kneeling before me and pulling out the ring, the same ring he had proposed with over three years ago. I watched him, a weak smile tugging at my lips. "I don't think this is the best place to propose," I said softly, glancing around the hospital room. "Besides, the floor isn't exactly sanitary. Please, get up." I said everything except what he wanted to hear."Well, answer me so I can get up," he replied, a smile playing on his lips. I glanced over at Jennifer, who nodded, urging me to say yes. I looked back at Ethan, my sweet Ethan, still on his knees."I love you," I said slowly, "and I would love to have a family with you. But I can't marry you." The words felt heavy as they left my mouth. I helped him to his feet, but I could see the hurt in his eyes."Why not, Em?" Jennifer’s voice cut through the silence that followed my answer."Marriage is... too heavy," I explained, feeling the weight of my father’s disapproval bearing down on me.
"Then don’t do it," Jennifer urged softly, her voice steady but filled with concern. I shook my head, tears streaming down. "I have to," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I don’t have enough love to give them at the moment. They deserve more than a broken mother," I thought to myself. The nurse, standing nearby, remained silent, her face professional yet kind. She quietly placed her Doppler aside and handed me a tissue to wipe my tears. “You can head back to the doctor’s office,” she instructed gently. Jennifer and I both nodded, and we made our way down the hallway, my heart heavy with each passing moment.As we got to the doctor's office, we pushed open the door without knocking, only to stop abruptly. Another patient was seated inside. “Oh! Sorry,” Jennifer exclaimed, starting to close the door, but the doctor’s voice cut in. “No, Ms. Sanders, come in,” the doctor urged, his tone serious but also welcoming. I hesitated at the door, reluctant to walk in or speak about my choice
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jennifer’s voice was soft, yet filled with concern as she held my hand tightly. We walked into the clinic, the sterile smell of the place overwhelming my senses, and my heart raced in my chest. I could barely focus as I tried to take deep, steady breaths. "Yes, Jen," I replied, though the words felt hollow, like I was trying to convince myself just as much as I was convincing her."You just found out you're pregnant," she continued, her eyes searching mine for any flicker of doubt. "Wouldn’t it be better to wait? To think it through a little more?" Her voice was gentle, but beneath it was a plea.I shook my head, biting my lip to keep the tears at bay. "I don’t want to change my mind." The words came out firmer than I expected. I didn’t want to be swayed. I couldn’t be. I needed to do this before the weight of everything crushed me completely."I’ll go in myself," I urged, my voice quieter now. "Wait in the car with Irene and the others." I couldn’
“What!” I exclaimed, my eyes widening in disbelief. I turned to Jennifer, who looked just as shocked. “It can’t be,” I stuttered.Jennifer turned her head towards me, confusion etched across her face. “I thought you said you and Jason never…” she wondered.I nodded. “Never,” I echoed, panic rising within me.Jennifer looked back at the doctor, her voice firm and certain. “You must be mistaken, doctor. My friend has been celibate for over three…” Before Jennifer could finish, I cut her off. “I haven’t been celibate!” I whispered, feeling the heat of shame wash over me. My mind flashed back to the afternoon of her wedding, the memory of Ethan flooding back, the heat of the moment, our impulsive connection, and my frantic rush to escape afterward, forgetting the after pill.Jennifer’s expression shifted to one of motherly concern. “Who?” she asked, her voice firm. I bit my lip, avoiding her gaze, my eyes darting to the doctor, who was watching our exchange intently.“Ethan,” I murmured,
Six Weeks Later: The Final Hearing"Please, don't go through with it," I pleaded, my eyes fixed on Ethan as we stood together just before the trial. For almost six weeks, he had refused my visits, and this was the first time I'd seen him. He looked thinner, worn down by time in custody."You look pale. Are you okay?" Ethan asked, concern flickering in his eyes.I shook my head. How could I be? I had been feeling sick constantly, throwing up, dizzy, and suffering from headaches."Are you eating well?" Ethan’s voice softened. "Isn't Jason taking care of you?" He asked and I frowned at the mention of Jason. "We broke up," I whispered, my voice barely audible. After Ethan turned himself in I couldn't bear be with Jason, i was always sad around him, never giving him the time and attention he deserved, hence i had to break up with him, but he didn't takes it well, he insisted he could wait for me to heal and feel better, but i knew from the bottom of my heart that I could never love him. N